Digital Commons Network^™

Introduction To Ecological Landscaping: A Holistic Description And Framework To Guide The Study And Management Of Urban Landscape Parcels, Loren B. Byrne, Parwinder Grewal

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Urbanized ecosystems and urban human populations are expanding around the world causing many negative environmental effects. A challenge for achieving sustainable urban social ecological systems is understanding how urbanized landscapes can be designed and managed to minimize negative outcomes. To this end, an interdisciplinary Ecological Landscaping conference was organized to examine the interacting sociocultural and ecological causes and consequences of landscaping practices and products. This special issue of Cities and the Environment contains a diverse set of articles arising from that conference. In this introductory paper, we describe the meaning of ecological landscaping and a new conceptual framework that helps …

Medusan Morphospace: Phylogenetic Constraints, Biomechanical Solutions, And Ecological Consequences, John H. Costello, Sean Colin, John O. Dabiri

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Medusae were the earliest animals to evolve muscle-powered swimming in the seas. Although medusae have achieved diverse and prominent ecological roles throughout the world's oceans, we argue that the primitive organization of cnidarian muscle tissue limits force production and, hence, the mechanical alternatives for swimming bell function. We use a recently developed model comparing the potential force production with the hydrodynamic requirements of jet propulsion, and conclude that jet production is possible only at relatively small bell diameters. In contrast, production of a more complex wake via what we term rowing propulsion permits much larger sizes but requires a different …

Free Speech And The Case For Constitutional Exceptionalism, Roger P. Alford

Journal Articles

Excerpts from the Article

Embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the evocative proposition that [e]veryone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression. But beneath that level of abstraction there is anything but universal agreement.

This book review argues that the dissonance between countries need not be challenged in pursuit of uniformity. Indeed, in those cases in which the differences reflect an appropriate balance of competing goods, it should be celebrated. Constitutional exceptionalism recognizes and celebrates each country's attempt to optimize the general welfare of that country by balancing competing goods in a manner consistent with …

Investigation Of Inosine And Hypoxanthine As Biomarkers Of Cardiac Ischemia In Plasma Of Non-Traumatic Chest Pain Patients And A Rapid Analytical System For Assessment, Don E. Farthing

Theses and Dissertations

Each year in the U.S., approximately 7-8 million patients with non-traumatic chest pain visit hospital emergency departments (ED) for medical evaluation. It is estimated that approximately 2-5% of these patients are experiencing acute cardiac ischemia, but due to the shortcomings of current test methods, they are incorrectly diagnosed and discharged without appropriate treatment provided, thus leading to poor patient outcome and potential medical malpractice litigation.The goals of this research were to evaluate plasma samples for potential biomarker(s) of acute cardiac ischemia prior to heart tissue necrosis, and to ultimately develop a rapid method for detection of the potential biomarker(s) in …

Qtl Analysis Of Ray Pattern In Caenorhabditis Elegans Recombinant Inbred Lines, Adam Joseph Guess

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Ray pattern is the most divergent morphological character among rhabditid nematodes. The ancestral ray pattern of Elegans group nematodes is commonly referred to as a 2(1)3+3 pattern, with rays 1 and 2 located anterior of the cloaca, ray 3 positioned at the cloaca, and rays 4-6 and 7-9 grouped in two clusters posterior of the cloaca. C. elegans males primarily exhibit the 2(1)3+3 pattern; however some isolates display variant patterns at a low frequency. The Hawaiian strain CB4856 exhibits a 3/3+3 pattern at a frequency of 0.09. In this pattern, ray 3 is located anterior of the cloaca in a …

The Response Of Vascular Dermal Enodethial Cells To House Dust Mite Extracts, Aaron Mathew Newman

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

House dust mites are microscopic arthropods that can trigger moderate allergic symptoms such as sneezing, watery eyes, itching, and wheezing in sensitized individuals. People with more serious allergies to house dust mites can develop allergic diseases like atopic dermatitis and asthma. The effects of house dust mites on allergy sufferers make house dust mites and the study of their effects on the human body of great medical and economic importance. A majority of the research that has been done on house dust mite's effects on humans has dealt with the lungs and relevant disease like asthma. Little work has been …

Using Geographic Information Systems To Select Sites For Wetland Restoration In West Central Ohio's Agricultural Areas, Janice M. Hartkorn

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The Mississippi River Basin, includes a major part of Ohio has encountered increasing phosphorus and nitrogen loads from agricultural fields since the 1800's when intensive agriculture moved into the Midwest. Agriculture has drained ninety percent of Ohio's native wetlands. A portion of those drained wetlands can be restored to functional wetlands to intercept excess nutrients from non-productive or low yield agricultural fields to improve overall water quality. Little is known about finding potential restoration sites, partly because of the difficulty in locating sites capable of supporting successful restoration.

This study investigated the utility of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a …

Immunomodulation Of Human Skin Cells By Extracts Of The Scabies Mite, Sarcoptes Scabiei, Jeremi Stevan Mullins

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Sarcoptes scabiei infests its host through burrowing into the stratum corneum layer of skin. Keratinocytes and fibroblasts responding to the burrowing mite(s) and/or mite products produce inflammatory and immune activating cytokines and chemokines. The purpose of this study was to determine if an extract of S. scabiei can modulate cytokine and chemokine expression from keratinocytes and fibroblasts in vitro. Normal human keratinocytes and fibroblasts were exposed to an extract of S. scabiei var. canis with or without various pro-inflammatory stimuli. Cytokine and chemokine expression were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Scabies extract increased expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6), growth-related oncogene-α …

Effects Of Sepsis On Nerve Evoked Responses, Kevin Richard Novak

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Sepsis and SIRS (systemic inflammatory response syndrome) have become two expensive and complicated problems seen in the intensive care unit (ICU). These two illnesses have been known to cause dysfunction with excitable tissues in the body. Encephalopathy, neuropathy, and myopathy are the three biggest. In this paper we discuss the development of an animal model of sepsis and the neurological complications sepsis brought about. Nerve conduction studies showed increased durations on compound muscle action potential, and decreased amplitude as well as increased duration and latency on sensory nerve action potentials. These results were not consistent with the two most common …

Modeling Training Effects On Task Performance Using A Human Performance Taxonomy, Douglas P. Meador

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

There is little argument that modern military systems are very complex, both in terms of the resources in time and money to develop them and the infrastructure that is required to produce trained operators. To properly execute human systems integration during the acquisition process, systems built to train operators must be developed that optimize training. Consequently, the training system community would benefit from simulation models that provide the ability to make accurate predictions of training processes, and allow the decision maker to specify an optimum combination of operator performance after training and the cost of that training. The goal of …

Implementation Of Simulation For Network Service Delivery Point Capacity Analysis, Tiffany Jill Harper

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

As businesses consolidate and modernize their operations, the impact on their network and computing infrastructure is a major consideration. In this thesis, discrete event simulation is used to show how implementation of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system can impact network performance and ultimately affect end-users. More specifically, the model simulates the flow of data packets across a network, through a Service Delivery Point (SDP), which is comprised of routers, switches, and firewalls that connect a Local Area Network to a Wide Area Network.

The model was used to run to determine the affect of more network traffic and additional …

Ultrastructural Analysis Of Excitatory And Inhibitory Synapses Within The Medial Nucleus Of The Trapezoid Body Of Normal Hearing And Congenitally Deaf Mice, Melissa A. Bautista

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The auditory brainstem has been the area of much focus in recent years due to its advantages in circuitry and synaptic connections. The endbulbs and calyces of Held are large, glutamatergic synapses within the AVCN and MNTB, respectively. Because of their large size and accessibility these synapses have offered the ability to study pre- and post-synaptic mechanisms of neurotransmission within the central nervous system. The calyx of Held synapse is the main excitatory input into the MNTB principal cells, containing hundreds of individual synaptic specializations, or release sites. Previous studies have identified physiological and morphological changes at the endbulb of …

Oxidative Stress And Cell Death In Osmotically Swollen Glial Cells, Crystal Elaine Stuckey

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Regulation of normal volume is an important aspect of cell homeostasis. Possible mechanisms which signal volume regulation are increasing the rate of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and release of ATP for interaction with purinergic receptors. We examined whether an increase in ROS production during cell swelling also led to cell injury of C6 glioma cells. Cells were loaded with 5,6-carboxy-2,7-dihydrofluorscein diacetate (DCFDA) to fluoroscopically measure the rate of cellular ROS production and were perfused with phosphate-buffered saline solutions (PBS) containing 100 μM carbenoxolone to inhibit dye efflux. Cell death was determined cytometrically and by measuring the release of lactate …

Paradox Of Love, Twyla Dawn Montagne

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

A collection of poems centered on the theme of the paradoxical nature of love. Within love are oppositional tensions that produce pain as well as joy. This collection explores what it means to live with a heart awakened by love - one that is made whole by being broken. The poems are written in free verse with a simple structure that often takes the form of stanzas. As a whole, this work is an invitation to find deeper meaning in life.

Effects Of Subcutaneous Postnatal Choline Supplementation On Hippocampus-Mediated Learning And Memory In Rat Pups, Jeremy Alan Moore

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The effects of postnatal injections of choline on the acquisition of two variants of eyeblink conditioning were examined in developing Long-Evans rat pups. Choline administration on postnatal days (PND) 15-27 was followed by evaluation of trace eyeblink conditioning (Experiment 1) and delay eyeblink conditioning (Experiment 2) on PND 28-29. The results of these experiments show that choline produced greater improvements in learning and memory during the trace condition than in the delay condition, presumably due to its effect on the hippocampus. Trace eyeblink conditioning relies heavily on an intact hippocampus but delay eyeblink conditioning does not, and it is understood …

Stress Reducing Effects Of Oxytocin In A Maternal Separation Paradigm, Keely Jane O'Connell

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This study compared the effects of centrally and peripherally administered oxytocin (OT) on HPA axis activity and the presence of both stress-induced active and passive behaviors in female guinea pig pups (Cavia porcellus) after 180-min of isolation . In Experiment 1, one dose of oxytocin (10μg/.2ml) was injected subcutaneously into the periphery. Plasma cortisol levels were reduced after 180-min of isolation and two passive behaviors, eye-closure and crouch, were reduced as well with the administration of oxytocin. In Experiment 2, two different doses (10μg/.2ml and 20μg/.2ml) were injected into the periphery with no significant results. In Experiment 3 one dose …

The Effects Of Nutritional Supplement, Mass Fx™, On Muscular Strength, Body Composition, And Blood Chemistries In Resistance Trained Adult Males, Patrick S. Dib

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a nutritional supplement, Mass FX, on muscular strength, body composition, and blood chemistries in resistance-trained adult males. Eight subjects, mean age 25 +/- 3.02 years, were randomly assigned to two groups (n=4). Each group was given either Mass FX or a Placebo in a double-blind manner to be taken orally for six weeks (4caps/day regardless of bodyweight). For the duration of the study, both groups were following the same training program and a diet customized to each subject's bodyweight in conjunction to the supplementation. Data were analyzed using Analysis …

Energy Efficient Image Video Sensor Networks, Paul Anthony Bender

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Image Video Sensor Networks are emerging applications for sensor network technologies. The relatively large size of the data collected by image video sensors presents new challenges for the sensor network in terms of energy consumption and channel capacity. We address each of these issues through the use of a high density network deployment utilizing some nodes as dedicated relay nodes.

A high density network allows network nodes to reduce their transmission power. This reduction in transmission power allows each node to conserve power and simultaneously increases the potential for spatially concurrent transmissions within the network, resulting in improved network throughputs. …

The In Pulse, William L. Hall

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

A collection of poems composed as an exercise with imagination and the attempt to convey the mind as medium for experience without forgetting the reader remembers something else.

Dynamic Characterization Of A Pneumatic Muscle Actuator And Its Application To A Resistive Training Device, Jennifer L. Serres

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Research described in this dissertation expands the use of a biomechanical phenomenological model to a commercially available pneumatic muscle actuator (PMA). Due to the nonlinearities of the device, achieving accurate control is challenging. Experiments have been conducted that define boundaries of operation where linear approximations can be used to describe the dynamics of the PMA. Empirical data presented in this dissertation show that nonlinearities exist more prevalently at higher loads (on average >70% contractile force value). When the PMA is under high loads, low displacement occurs. Therefore, these regions are of less interest to design engineers. Once conditions of nonlinearities …

Motion-Control System Of Bench-Top Ct Scanner, Tarpit Kaushikbhai Patel

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Computed Tomography (CT) imaging has found applications in many areas such as diagnostic visualization, quantitative estimation, and therapeutic verification. In this wide range of applications, a CT scanner that can provide the data collection schemes of both second- and third-generation data-collection geometries will be an asset for laboratory research. In this thesis project, we developed a mechanical design and constructed a dual-generation CT scanner that provides flexibility in accommodating a wide range of object sizes with minimum scan time. Using 3-D graphical design software, models of the current second-generation CT scanner and possible solutions for modification were simulated. Based on …

Effects Of Forest Fragmentation And Honeysuckle Invasion On Forest Lepidoptera In Southwest Ohio, Annie Lynn Doyle

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Habitat loss and exotic species invasion is a rapidly growing threat facing forest animal communities worldwide. The goal of the current study is to assess the impact of forest fragmentation and the associated invasion of honeysuckle on immature tree-feeding Lepidoptera communities in southwestern Ohio. Caterpillar abundance, richness, and honeysuckle density were sampled along 100 meter transects conducted in ten forest fragments. Generalized linear models were developed to determine the effects of fragment area, landscape forest cover, and honeysuckle density on caterpillar abundance and richness. Caterpillar abundance and richness was positively related to landscape forest cover and fragment area. However, these …

Investigating Nickel Flux And Toxicity In Clay Sediments With Batch And Stream Recirculating Flume Experiments, Christina Elizabeth Cloran

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Using batch and stream recirculating flume experiments to compare and contrast one clayey sediment (Warden Ditch) and two analytical grade clay minerals (montmorillonite and kaolinite), the dynamic interactions between two aquatic stressors (suspended solids and nickel) were explored. Aldrich humic acid was incorporated to demonstrate the mitigating effects of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on Ni toxicity. The flux of Ni between compartments (dissolved and sorbed) was quantified as a partition/distribution coefficient. The USEPA test organism Daphnia magna (neonates, < 24 h) was utilized to evaluate toxicity in dynamic non-renewal, short-term bioassays. Generally, toxicity showed a linear relationship with turbidity level. Conversely, sorption coefficients were experiment specific, making them difficult to predict and assess. Clay functioned as an adsorbent, scavenging Ni. Results support the hypotheses that solids and metals act as stressors in streams, DOC attenuates the toxicity of Ni, and Ni fluxes quickly between system compartments.

The Role Of Phospholipase D (Pld) And Grb2 In Chemotaxis, Katie J. Knapek

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Phospholipase D (PLD) is an enzyme that hydrolyzes phosphatidylcholine yielding choline and phosphatidic acid. PLD is activated by mitogens (lead to cell division) and motogens (leading to cell migration). PLD is known to contribute to cellular proliferation and deregulated expression of PLD has been implicated in several human cancers. PLD has been found to play a role in leukocyte chemotaxis and adhesion as studied through the formation of chemokine gradients. We have established a model of cell migration comprising three cell lines: macrophages RAW 264.7 and LR-5 (for innate defense), and fibroblast COS-7 cells (for wound healing). COS-7 cells respond …

The Community Structure Of Methanogenic, Methanotrophic, And Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria In Vertical Flow Greenhouse Wetland Mesocosms Exposed To Pce, William Evan Gruner

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Chlorinated ethenes are among the top contaminants on the EPA National Priorities List due to their abundance in contaminated sites and their recalcitrant nature. These compounds, which are used in large scale degreasing and textile processes, are known liver and kidney toxins, and suspected carcinogens. Wetland ecosystems are capable of degrading PCE and its breakdown products TCE, DCE, and VC by providing anaerobic and aerobic growth conditions for microbes that express enzymes such as dehalogenases and monooxygenases with dual affinity for chlorinated solvents. Greenhouse mesocosms at Wright State University are used to mimic field conditions at a treatment wetland at …

Criminal Procedure In Perspective, Kit Kinports

Faculty Scholarship

This Article attempts to situate the Supreme Court's constitutional criminal procedure jurisprudence in the academic debates surrounding the reasonable person standard, in particular, the extent to which objective standards should incorporate a particular individual's subjective characteristics. Analyzing the Supreme Court's search and seizure and confessions opinions, I find that the Court shifts opportunistically from case to case between subjective and objective tests, and between whose point of view - the police officer's or the defendant's - it views as controlling. Moreover, these deviations cannot be explained either by the principles the Court claims underlie the various constitutional provisions at issue …

Hydrogeochemistry And Water Quality Of Echo Hills, Joel M. Kimball

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Ground water of the Echo Hills area in Clark County, Ohio was investigated for common water contaminants such as nitrate and coliform bacteria. Thirty-four water samples were collected from locations including private wells, streams and a spring. Nine of those samples were selected for nitrogen isotope analysis. Three locations were chosen for a tracer test. Additionally, well log data, historical water quality data, and GIS data were obtained from the Clark County Health Department in Springfield, Ohio. Results show that local agriculture likely has the greatest impact on ground water quality in Echo Hills especially the north-eastern portion, with local …

The Development Of Loop-Based Cinematic Techniques In Twentieth Century Motion Pictures And Their Application In Early Digital C, David Scoma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For centuries, repetition in one form or another has been seen as a significant element in the artistic palette. In numerous formats of expression, duplication and looping became a significant tool utilized by artisans in a multitude of creative formats. Yet within the realm of film, the Griffith and Eisenstein models of cinematic editing techniques (as the most popular-- and near-monolithic--narrative aesthetic criteria) effectively disregarded most other approaches, including looping. Despite the evidence for the consistent use of repetition and looping in multiple ways throughout the course of cinematic history, some theorists and practitioners maintain that the influx of the …

Disability, Equipment Barriers And Women’S Health: Using The Ada To Provide Meaningful Access, Elizabeth Pendo

Articles

It is well-known that people with disabilities face multiple barriers to adequate health care, including lower average incomes, disproportionate poverty, and issues with insurance coverage. This article focuses on a more fundamental barrier-one that has not been discussed in the legal literature-inaccessible medical equipment and its effect on the delivery of women's health care to millions of women with disabilities .

Proposed Audit And Accounting Guide: Gaming; Exposure Draft (American Institute Of Certified Public Accountants), 2008, September 10, American Institute Of Certified Public Accountants. Accounting Standards Executive Committee

Exposure Drafts, Comment Letters, and Statements of Position

No abstract provided.